Did you know that most produce in the stores are about 5 days old. If you’re lucky, you’ll get about 40% of the nutrition from the food you buy because, not only the time that it takes to get to you, but also, if you live in a big city, the foods have been processed and a lot of the nutrients have disappeared.
Buying local helps you in many ways. Besides cutting down on the carbon footprint, you get in season, more nutrition and less expensive.
If you have a local farmer’s market, or a CSA, is usually your best bet. For over 25 years, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer.
Advantages for you:
Eat ultra-fresh food, with all the flavor and vitamin benefits
Get exposed to new vegetables (in season) and new ways of cooking
Usually get to visit the farm at least once a season
Find that kids typically favor food from “their” farm” even veggies they’ve never been known to eat
Develop a relationship with the farmer who grows their food and learn more about how food is grown
With a CSA, a farmer offers a certain number of “shares” to the public. Typically the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share (“membership” or a “subscription”) and in return receive a box (bag, basket) of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season. You can even team up with a neighbor or friend, to share.
To find you local CSA (in the US) go to: http://www.localharvest.org/csa/
There will usually be a listing of your local farmer’s markets as well.